Minerals
What does it mean if a mineral has a crystalline structure?
The atoms in the mineral are arranged in an orderly, repetitive manner.
What is Provenance?
Where a rock has come from.
What does QA/QC mean?
Quality Insurance/Quality Care
Properties to ID a mineral
1. luster
2. cleavage
3. crystal form
4. hardness
5. specific gravity
6. streak
7.color
What is Locard's principle of exchange
Every contact leaves a trace even if its only on a molecular level.
What is the difference between Bulk and Trace evidence?
Trace evidence consists of microscopic evidence that is invisible to the naked eye such as fibers or hair, and can often times only be collected once. Bulk evidence is visible evidence that can be easily collected such as a weapon or large fragments of an object.
Name the five properties that define a mineral
1. naturally occurring
2. inorganic
3.solid at room temperature
4. crystalline structure
5. definite compostion
What is the Principle of Uniformitarianism?
The principle that states all the processes that formed the earth a million years ago are the same processes shaping the earth today.
What are aspects to ensure a sketch is accurate, comprehensive, and reliable?
-Date, Time, location(GPS coordinates)
-Signature, personnel there
- north arrow, scale
-summary detailing the area
-Save in 2+ spots
Define what a Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary rock are.
Igneous: come from solidified magma below ground in the deep crust and upper mantle
Sedimentary: weathering and erosion of rocks exposed at the surface
Metamorphic: rocks changed by high heat and high pressure.
List the 7 steps of the scientific method
1. Question
2. Research
3. Hypothesis
4. Experiment
5. Analyze data
6. conclusion
7. communicate
List the four steps to conducting a crime scene and explain them.
1. Recognition
2. Documentation
3. Collection
4. Preservation
What are the two descriptions of igneous rock and how do they form.
Phanertic(coarse-grained) rocks form deep underground as slow cooling allows crystals to grow large. Aphanitic(fine-grained) rocks form close to the surface where they cool fast and crystals have little time to form.
Compare and contrast weathering and erosion. Why is this process important?
Weathering is the physical breakdown of rock while erosion is the breakdown and traveling of the rock. These are important as when sediment travels, it becomes rounder and becomes sorted.
Define a Fact, Theory, Hypothesis, and Law
Fact - an indisputable observation
Theory - best supported claim
Hypothesis - "if...then...." statement. A proposed explanation based on current information
Law - empirical/observed generalization on how the world works